Beauty and the Beast
by Virgoistic
Summary: This is the story of Hank McCoy's first love before he found solace at the Xavier Institute. Jessica is a mutant that shows Hank that he can learn to accept himself without hiding from the world.


Beauty and the Beast

Disclaimer: This story has no association, whatsoever with Disney. It just a clever title for a story involving Hank McCoy and his one time love interest. Hank McCoy( Beast ) is a character for the Marvel Universe. The other characters are my own. I hope you enjoy. And please send some great reviews.

Once Upon a Time

When I was a **normal **human, I had the greatest love that I could ask for. And it ended as tragically as it began, I first met Jessica Rampart on August 24. I don't really want to specify the year, but I was just twenty four. I knew that I had mutagenic powers, but they weren't in full force as they would be when I was near my 30's. Sometimes, I went on rampages when I was angry about something. I remember when I was only 10 years old and I woke up in Steve Jones, backyard. Clutching the wood from his destroyed tree house, he had angered me earlier in the day boasting about his tree house was better than anything that I or my friends could construct. The anger within me got the best of me and caused me to do that. My parents knew what I was and explained to me before I really went off the deep edge. So I spent the rest of my life as some Gandhi like individual, valuing peace of mind or violence. For some people, it's a life that they choose freely. For me, it was mandatory for the health of the people around me. The night I met Jessica, she was walking down the path of the park and she was attacked by some masked stranger. I suppose, he was aiming to take her purse or something else that didn't quite belong to him. Where was I? Ah, I was walking down the opposite path. Heading to my home to have a nice cup of cocoa, it was mid-winter and I was chilled to the bone. I suppose Jessica had the same thought in mind. When I finally caught sight of her, the man had her upon the ground. Moving his hips in a strange motion and I could hear the screams coming from her as she tried to fight him off. This was not some wild couple, eager to express their love. The anger of this injustice fueled that change in me, and I changed into the beast that I had always feared. I couldn't control him and he knew it. I lunged towards the male and struck him down. Jessica of course was frightened, seeing some large blue monster, attacking some human. But my mind was not on her at that moment, the beast in me wanted to destroy and that man was my target. A part of my sane mind managed to break through and halt the Beast before he succeeded his task in killing the man.

Jessica still remained upon the ground, her lovely dress torn and slashed but she was there when I managed to revert back to my normal self. "Are you okay?" She whispered, her voice was so soft and frightened. I personally blamed myself for unleashing that side of me. "I'm fine." I could only reply with just that, nothing more. She was going to consider me some sort of freak, she would never give me the chance to explain. " That's good." Standing up from the ground, she walked over to me. Her steps were slow and cautious, I suppose she didn't want to frighten me. Funny, huh? I was afraid that I had frightened her. Kneeling down next to me, she placed her hand upon the part of my flesh that was exposed to my torn clothing. I also hated the clothes that I ruined when I turned into the Beast. " Would you like to get some cocoa?" She questioned, a weak smile upon those lips as I looked towards her. A feeble nod, as she helped me up from the ground and we headed towards her apartment, this was a bit strange. I bet, we were a sight for sore eyes if anyone saw us heading up the stairs to her apartment. She opened the door to her apartment after finding her keys and helped me inside. "Make yourself at home, please." I finally heard her voice and that accent, it sounds French. " I am Jessica, thank you for saving my life." She said this as I sat down in her comfortable chair and closed my eyes. "Don't mention it." I was dying to ask her that one question, "why aren't you afraid of me?" it was burning in my mind but I could wait until we were at least comfortable to chat. She spent most of the time in silence, preparing the cocoa and then showering and changing her clothes. The male wasn't successful in his rape, she had informed me after leaving the shower. But if I didn't act when I did, he would have been. She gave me some spare clothes that her ex had left behind and I took them gladly without any fuss. Finally, it was time for us to talk as she smiled a bit and looked towards me. Her eyes, were shaped like the most perfect almonds. Hazel secrets peered at me from her cup as I watched her. "Why aren't you afraid of me?" I questioned the woman, slender fingers of her own grazed along her cocoa tinted skin as she nodded a bit and smiled. "Because I know that you are not evil." She would respond, putting her cup down and folded her slender legs in the Indian position. " How can you be sure?" This intrigued me, she thought that I wasn't evil. Something that I really couldn't assure myself. "Only someone with a good heart." She placed her right hand upon her chest as she continued to watch me, as if she were testing me. "Would save a woman without hesitation. That form that you took helped immensely…I do admit, I was afraid at first but then I knew there was a heart inside of you. A good heart and a good soul." As she looked at me, it seemed as if she could read into my soul. Every thought that traced along my mind was traveling into her own. Could she be a mutant? "I see." I was blushing, I had to admit that. No one had made me feel so powerful from becoming something that I despised so much. "Are you a mutant?" I questioned in a rather soft tone, I knew that some people including myself were a bit fuzzy on the subject. A simple nod as Jessica smirked and laughed a bit. "I was wondering when you would ask me." Fingers moved along the rim of the blue, coffee mug as she looked into the liquid. "May I ask your abilities?" I questioned as I continued to watch the French Beauty. "I can summon lost spirits, or control the non-living. A necromancer…" She said this with little pride. "I'm guessing you are not satisfied with your powers?"

"It is of no use. There is no point in controlling the dead. I allow them to rest…Vampires do not exist, and if they do. I have never met one to train. I normally catch spirits that tend to do harm to people, the bad luck demons that prey on the weak and foolish." A slight smile as she looked up to me, I watched her and then looked over her general being. She had dark locks, which were curled at the very ends. The ends falling along her small shoulders and resting along her slender, yet elegant neck. Her body was that of a goddess, perfect in every way. But that was how I saw her, she looked towards me and I noticed that she was reviewing me as well. I wondered what she thought of me, but I was far too embarrassed to ask anymore questions. Jessica only rested against her couch and looked towards the window that was behind me. " Have you ever believed in faith?" She questioned as she looked towards me. "Not really." I replied honestly. "I do. It wouldn't have led me to you." Well if that was the case, I would be a believer from then on. "I suppose I should be leaving, I don't want to impose." She would only shake her head and smile. " You're not imposing on anything." Standing up from her seat on the couch, she stretched and picked up my cup and her own. "You're welcome to stay on the couch, it's too late and too cold to be outside." Shrugging her shoulders, she motioned towards a closet near the bathroom. " There are quilts there and some pillows, I'll make your bed for you but can you please get them for me?"


End file.
